Faith of an Angel
by Phoenix DeFuego
Summary: With Squall by her side, Rinoa must embark on an epic journey to find the peace within and calm her raging powers. Rinoa x Squall. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters, settings, logos, etc. from Final Fantasy 8. Never have, never will. **Author's Note: **Hello everyone and welcome to my second try at a multi-chapter story! First of all I want to thank everyone who reviewed Winter's Knight. I really appreciated your comments! Second, hopefully this story will not be as sketchy as Winter's Knight was. Well, enough babbling from me, let's get on with the story! Don't forget to review!

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**Faith of an Angel**

Chapter I

By Phoenix DeFuego

The morning sunlight filtered through gossamer curtains and softly illuminated the cozy room with a golden glow. Rinoa Heartilly moaned and rolled over as the cheerful light stabbed at her tightly closed eyes. With a heavy sigh, Rinoa slowly forced herself into a sitting position and lethargically blinked her bleary brown eyes. A high pitched, pathetic whine registered in the back of her foggy mind and Rinoa's head lolled to the side as she looked at her faithful companion.

A tired smile graced her lips as Rinoa mumbled, "Good morning Angelo." Rinoa's furry friend sat in the middle of her cluttered room and wagged his stubby tail with joyful abandon. Angelo's dark coat glistened in the morning light and his big brown eyes begged Rinoa unabashedly. Rinoa's lips twisted in a wry grin as she threw off the covers and said, "Alright, alright, I'm up."

Rinoa dragged herself to her feet and ruffled Angelo's fur as she shuffled past the excited dog towards her dresser. Pulling open the mahogany drawer, Rinoa slipped into a pair of faded jeans and a blue baggy sweater. Although winter was just around the corner Balamb Island rarely became much colder than a crisp autumn day in Deling. Rinoa was still not used to the idea of not having any snow for High Winter. The raven haired beauty giggled as she realized that she would not be the only one to miss the winter snow.

"Come on Angelo," Rinoa said cheerfully. "Let's go see Selphie!" Angelo barked excitedly and wagged his stubby tail, leaping and bounding after his mistress as Rinoa walked out the door. Rinoa walked down the hall with a bounce in her step and a smile on her face as Angelo trotted by her side, his pink tongue flopping in and out of his mouth. Just as Rinoa was about to knock on Selphie's door, Selphie ripped open the gray door and both girls jumped in surprise.

"Oh! Hi Rin!" Selphie exclaimed. Rinoa took in the brunette's SeeD uniform and her smile immediately fell. "Sorry, Rin, I don't have time to talk. I better go before I'm late for my mission!"

"Another one?" Rinoa asked dejectedly.

"Sorry Rinoa. Orders are orders," Selphie apologized while slipping past the sullen sorceress. "I'll see you later!" Selphie shouted over her shoulder while running down the hall. Rinoa watched the bouncy brunette leave with a heavy sigh.

Looking down at the dog sitting beside her Rinoa said, "Come on Angelo, let's go for a walk." Angelo wagged his tail and quietly walked beside his depressed girl. As the two companions walked along the circular hall Rinoa told Angelo all about her problems.

"It's not fair!" Rinoa whined. "Everyone else is always too busy to spend any time with me anymore! All of my friends get to go on these missions while I'm stuck here in this stupid Garden! All because I'm not a SeeD!" Angelo cocked his head to the side and listened patiently as Rinoa continued to rant. "Squall doesn't really go on missions anymore but he might as well be living on another planet considering how I never get to see him anymore. He's always stuck up in that office of his doing Hyne knows what. How come nobody wants to hang out with me anymore!?"

Rinoa knelt beside Angelo and scratched him behind the ears with an apologetic smile on her porcelain face. The worried dog wagged his tail and licked his girl's face in an attempt to cheer her up. Angelo didn't understand what was wrong, but something was bothering his girl and he wasn't sure how to make it better.

"At least you still have time for me Angelo," Rinoa smiled. Angelo wagged his tail harder and continued licking Rinoa's face, glad that his girl was starting to feel better. Rinoa giggled and stood up after wiping off Angelo's wet kisses. Nodding her head Rinoa said, "Let's go." Angelo barked and trotted beside his girl as Rinoa continued down the hall with a lighthearted bounce in her step. Rinoa made it all the way to the front gate when suddenly the elderly man in the glass booth stopped her.

"Sorry Ms. Heartilly, but you can't leave Garden without an escort," the old man said apologetically.

"What!?" Rinoa shouted incredulously.

"Sorry Miss, but them's the rules," the elderly man apologized. "I can't let you through here without an escort." Angelo whimpered and meekly followed Rinoa as she growled and stormed back into the main hall.

oOo

Squall Leonhart sat reclined in his plush leather chair and carefully read over the report loosely held in his gloved hands. Apparently while on route to Edea's Orphanage several SeeDs claimed to spot an unusual tower near Centra Crater. Edea wanted to rebuild the orphanage and Squall was more than willing to help out in anyway he could. Squall almost smiled as faint memories flashed through his mind. Suddenly Squall frowned as someone burst into his office unannounced.

"We need to talk," said a furious yet familiar voice. The only indication of surprise was the tiny lift in his dark eyebrows as Squall gazed at the woman stomping into his office.

Squall set the report on his desk and said, "Rinoa, I really don't have time for—"

"No, you listen!" Rinoa seethed, stabbing her finger in his direction. Squall's brows collided together in annoyance for being yelled at for no apparent reason. "I hardly ever get to see my friends anymore because they're always off on some harebrained mission!" Squall opened his mouth to argue but Rinoa continued to rant. "And now I'm a prisoner in this stupid Garden because I can't leave without an escort!"

"One, this is _not_ a stupid Garden and two, the escort is for your protection!" Squall growled angrily.

"I'm nineteen, Squall! I don't need a babysitter!" Rinoa shouted in anger. Angelo whined and hid beneath Squall's desk.

"You're a sorceress and —"

"So I'm a threat now!?"

"No!" Squall yelled, fury and confusion battling to take over.

"Then what am I, Squall!? Why don't you trust me!?" Rinoa screamed, her face turning red with rage.

"I do!" Squall bellowed, his own face beginning to show anger's taint.

"LIAR! All you care about is this stupid Garden and your stupid repor– Ah!"

Suddenly one of the reports on Squall's desk burst into flame. Squall jumped back and threw the burning paper onto the floor and quickly stamped out the flames. Rinoa stared at the charred scrap of paper with horror filled eyes, her face drained of all color. Squall looked up at her with utter shock in his gray eyes. As Rinoa met Squall's gaze her doe eyes filled with tears and her lips trembled as she opened and closed her mouth.

"It was an accident," Rinoa whispered in a quivering voice. Squall watched, stunned, as Rinoa bolted out the door and ran to her room as fast as her legs would carry her, tears of fear and shame streaming down her flushed cheeks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the rights to FF8. Never have, never will. **Author's Note: **Hello everyone and welcome to the next chapter of Faith of an Angel! Well, after rereading this chapter I'm a little worried now that Squall is a little too out of character. Oh well, I'll just let y'all decide. Don't forget to review!

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**Faith of an Angel**

Chapter II

By Phoenix DeFuego

Rinoa burst into her room and slammed the door shut, hot tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. After locking her door Rinoa threw herself onto her bed and curled up into a tiny ball. Rinoa had not meant to set fire to Squall's reports, it just happened. What terrified her the most was that it could have been Squall instead of the piece of paper. The frightening idea brought fresh tears to her eyes as Rinoa tried to curl up even more.

Suddenly there was a persistent scraping sound at the door as Angelo whined and scratched to get in. Rinoa was too upset about losing control of her powers to hear the plaintive noises coming from the other side of her door. All of a sudden there was a light rapping and Rinoa lifted her head to look at the door questioningly.

"Rinoa, can I come in?" a familiar voice asked, slightly muffled by the door. Rinoa quickly wiped away her tears and sat up on the edge of her bed. She was surprised that he had come down to her room after what she had done. When there was no reply the muffled voice called out her name in concern.

"Just a minute!" Rinoa called to the door. She wiped at her puffy eyes and hastily smoothed down her raven hair before standing up and fidgeting with her shorts. Once she was satisfied, Rinoa quickly approached the door and hesitated before reluctantly opening it.

Squall's piercing gray eyes searched Rinoa's watery eyes with a look of concern on his angular features. Rinoa ducked her head and silently motioned for Squall to enter. Angelo was in the room and on the bed before Squall could even cross the threshold. Rinoa gave her wayward pet a wry grin and shooed him off of the bed as Squall closed the door behind him.

"Rinoa, are you alright?" Squall asked after a long pause of awkward silence. Rinoa sat on her bed and tucked her legs beneath her while fingering the rings hanging around her neck.

"I don't know," Rinoa replied after another long pause. "What if it had been you instead of that piece of paper?"

Squall sat next to Rinoa and said with a grin, "It'll take a lot more than a little fire to take me down."

"I'm serious Squall!" Rinoa said fervently. Squall's grin was immediately replaced by a look of seriousness. "What if it's worse the next time?" she asked frantically.

"Rinoa, there may not be a next time," Squall said patiently. Rinoa shook her head and told Squall in great detail about all of her little "incidents" that she had experienced in the past two weeks. Squall just stared at her for a couple of minutes after she had finished her story. "Rinoa, this is really serious. Have you told anyone else about this?"

Rinoa wiped away her unshed tears and shook her head while replying in a dejected tone, "No." With a heavy sigh she said, "Maybe I _should_ be sealed away in Esthar."

"No!" Squall shouted as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Rinoa jumped at his emphatic shout and was surprised and a little touched at how quickly he had rejected the idea. Squall took a deep breath and said, "I want… I _need_ you here beside me."

Rinoa sighed and replied, "Are you sure about that Squall? Every time that I try to spend a little time with you you're always too busy and you make me feel like I'm in the way." She looked away with a mournful sigh while saying, "And I'm losing control of my powers."

From the corner of her eye Rinoa admired Squall's lithe form as he stood up with the grace of a seasoned warrior and offered her an ebony clad hand. Rinoa quizzically gazed into his piercing gray eyes as she hesitantly grasped his hand. The dark leather glove was cool to the touch and she felt naked under his intense stare.

"There's something you should see," Squall said as he helped Rinoa to her feet. His deep voice was warm yet firm, giving her the impression that she was free to refuse but he would be greatly disappointed in her if she did. Rinoa absently ordered Angelo to stay as she followed Squall through the narrow doorway into the sunlit hall.

A warm breeze flowed through the bright hall, which helped ease the awkward silence that had fallen between the two teenagers. Rinoa soaked up the warmth and silently followed a half-step behind Squall as he leisurely led her down the deserted hallway.

After several twists and turns Rinoa decided that she was hopelessly lost. At least Squall seemed to know where he was going. Finally, the young couple stopped in front of an old rectangular door at the end of a remote corridor. Although there was nothing extraordinary about the plain looking door, the remote location and chipped off-white paint gave Rinoa an uneasy feeling.

Squall graced Rinoa with a confident grin that made her heart flutter before jiggling the silver handle and opening the aged portal. A loud plaintive squeak filled the air as the cream colored door slowly swung inwards to reveal a darkened room hidden in shadows. Rinoa's doe eyes darted between Squall and the creepy doorway as she reluctantly obeyed Squall's gentle tug into the dark room.

It seemed like an eternity as she blindly followed the gentle tug of Squall's hand through the inky black chamber. All of a sudden Squall released her hand and Rinoa fought the overwhelming sense of panic as she tried to pierce the darkness by squinting her dark brown eyes. The sound of a match being struck rang in Rinoa's ears as a faint glow suddenly appeared a few feet in front of her. Soon the entire room was flooded with a warm glow as Squall continued to light several candles. Rinoa's breath caught in her throat and she gasped as her eyes adjusted to her new surroundings.

The small room was made of a light brown, roughly hewn stone, giving the chamber an earthy feel and on the floor was a large, ornate red carpet with intricate patterns woven in gold thread. A few feet in front of Rinoa stood a small table draped in a rich red cloth with three tiers. The top two tiers held seven white candles each while the bottom tier supported a large bowl full of water with three white candles on either side. The bowl was made of silver with an intricate pattern etched onto its sides and shined in the candlelight.

What captivated Rinoa's attention; however, were the three large statues immediately behind the red table. A beautiful woman with long wavy hair and dressed in flowing robes held her arms out at her sides with her palms facing forwards, a serene look carved onto her angelic face. Directly behind her was a fierce yet incredibly handsome man, his chin resting on the woman's right shoulder and his arms protectively wrapped around her torso. At the woman's feet proudly sat a noble lion with a thick mane, his intense eyes calmly staring into the distance with his large feathery wings spread wide.

Rinoa watched in stunned amazement as Squall kneeled before the statues and touched his forehead to the ground after removing his gloves, dipping his fingertips in the cool water and touching his forehead, mouth and heart. The awestruck sorceress was even more surprised when Squall, sitting before the statues with his feet tucked beneath him, began to softly chant some kind of prayer.

Suddenly, Rinoa began to see Squall differently. He suddenly seemed wise beyond his years and was an even bigger enigma than when she had first met him. Rinoa listened in silent reverence as Squall's sonorous voice undulated in an almost melancholy melody. Minutes seemed like hours as Rinoa watched spellbound by Squall's piety. Soon Squall's hypnotic chant faded into silence and he touched his forehead to the ground once more. Squall remained prostrated before the silent statues for a few minutes before slowly standing up and turning around to face Rinoa.

Hundreds of questions bounced around in Rinoa's mind, but she was reluctant to ask any of them because she was afraid that if she even breathed loudly she would shatter the peaceful quiet that filled the small temple.

"Are you okay?" Squall asked after a long pause. Rinoa smiled and nodded her head, grateful that she was not the first to break the silence.

"I had no idea that you… that you believed in religion," Rinoa breathed once she found her voice again. When Squall questioningly arched a single brow she continued saying, "It's just that, well, you're a mercenary and… I don't know." Rinoa lowered her eyes in embarrassment, suddenly feeling very childish.

"You thought I was cold and calculating and that because I didn't have any faith in people that I wouldn't have faith in the gods."

There was no malice in his voice, just the simple truth, but his words stung and Rinoa lowered her head in shame. Squall uttered her name and she reluctantly looked into his soft gray eyes. His voice was warm and gentle and filled with patience as he spoke.

"Look at the lion Rinoa. Don't you recognize him?" Rinoa obeyed Squall's gentle command and gazed at the stone lion, unsure of what it was Squall thought she should see. After several moments of staring, Squall unsheathed his gunblade, the polished steel gleaming in the soft glow of the candlelight. He showed her the intricate carving etched into the impressive blade and said, "Do you recognize him now?"

As Rinoa inspected the flowing lines on Squall's blade the soft gleam from his pendant caught her eye. Her dark eyes darted from necklace to blade and back again when she suddenly noticed a mirror image of Squall's pendant hanging from the black handle of his gunblade.

Rinoa's eyes grew wide with stunned realization and she gasped, "Griever!" Squall nodded his head with a satisfied grin curving his pale lips. He stood by Rinoa's side and the two teenagers gazed at the stone lion as Squall spoke, his voice taking on the cadence of an instructor.

"He's the winged lion Griever, god of war, battles, and the way of the warrior. He helps only the worthy to win battles and favors those who fight with honor. He teaches us that war is not some evil scourge, but a natural part of life. Griever shows us that there's no reason to fear death and that even though there's no shame in dying a peaceful death, to die in battle is a great honor."

Rinoa reflected on all of the times she had fought by Squall's side and remembered how he would throw himself into battle with passionate abandon even against the simplest enemies. She recalled the time that Squall had charged into battle against Ultimecia's GF Griever and finally understood why there had been tears in his eyes as he fought with reckless abandon.

"Squall, when we were at Ultimecia's castle and we fought…"

"That abomination was _not_ Griever," Squall said vehemently. Rinoa gave Squall a pitiful look but decided that it was better to stay silent instead of arguing with him. It wouldn't seem right to argue in such a peaceful temple. Rinoa's brown eyes drifted back to the stone lion and she gazed at its noble visage with a puzzled look on her delicate features. Now that she thought about it, the stone lion sitting before her looked nothing like the monstrosity that she and the others had fought in Ultimecia's castle.

There were no twisted spikes or crooked horns adorning the proud lion sitting before her. He did not have curved talons at the end of gnarled fingers and his wings resembled those of a great eagle instead of the twisted appendages the dark monster who shared his name sported.

After several moments of studying the proud figure seated in front of her Rinoa said, "You're right, they aren't the same." Her simple admission released the tension in the air like popping a bubble, dispelling the awe inspiring enchantment of the room. Rinoa pointed to the beautiful woman and handsome man while asking with a childlike curiosity, "Who are they?" Squall grinned at her as if he had been waiting for her to ask that question and easily slipped back into the rhythmic cadence of an instructor.

"The man is called Odin, the Shadow Knight, ruler of the moon and the stars. He watches over us and protects us from evil while upholding justice and truth and teaches us the meaning of loyalty. His teachings tell us to be obedient and to be mindful of our actions. A well planned course of action is always better than one that is rushed and chaotic."

Rinoa studied the face of the masculine statue during Squall's narration and tried to imagine what he would look like with brown hair and gray eyes. She smiled and fought the giggle that bubbled up inside of her.

"The woman is Dassia, goddess of magic. She is the sun and is also called the Mother of Life. She watches over and nurtures everything that grows and guards the secrets of magic. She teaches us to follow our hearts and warns us against following rules and authority blindly. She also warns her chosen against using too much magic as they gain power and that magic is not just a weapon, but an Art and that being gifted with the Art is an extreme honor and privilege."

Squall remained silent after his impromptu lecture for several moments as he let Rinoa absorb the wealth of information he had just given to her. Rinoa's brown eyes studied the three figures as everything that Squall had told her slowly began to sink in. The smooth curves of Dassia's form captivated Rinoa's eye and burned themselves into her memory as Squall's words rang through her mind over and over again.

Was this why Squall had brought her here? Did he think that this goddess of his could help her control her powers? Did _she_ think that this goddess could help her? Rinoa wasn't sure she was ready to put her faith in a woman she had never heard of before; and yet, Rinoa found herself longing to believe that the angelic woman before her was real. It was then that she realized how nervous Squall was feeling.

As the silence grew longer and longer Squall shifted his weight from foot to foot and flexed his fingers more and more. She realized that he was waiting for a decision as he swallowed and licked his lips in nervous anticipation. Would she accept his faith or would she reject everything that he believed in? Rinoa frowned and felt a little cheated that he had unwittingly forced her into this position. With a shake of her head Rinoa reminded herself that he was only trying to help her the only way he knew how and she admired him for trusting her with something so intimate about himself.

Finally, Rinoa looked Squall in the eyes and said, "I don't know if I can believe in what you believe." Her softly spoken words seemed to shatter his world and his shoulders visibly sagged. "Not yet," she quickly amended. "But, I'm willing to learn." His shoulders lifted and Squall gave her an understanding smile and a curt nod.

After an awkward silence Squall hesitantly asked Rinoa if she would accept him as her knight. Before she could answer, Squall told her what being a knight meant and described the bonding ritual that they would have to perform in order to make it official. Once he was done explaining he waited for her reply with bated breath. Rinoa carefully considered Squall's words, and then granted him a shy smile and a nod of her head. A sigh of relief passed his parted lips as the faintest shade of pink touched his cheeks. Walking over towards the door, Squall flipped the silver latch and locked the door. Turning around, he gave Rinoa a nervous grin and began the ceremony.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or settings of FF8. Unfortunately. Never have, never will. **Author's Note: **OMG! I am so sorry that it took me sooo long to update. I just went through some major crap in my life and to make it worse I ran into writer's block. Hopefully it won't take me near this long to get the next chapter up. If you are still following my stories then I'd just like to say THANK YOU SO MUCH I LOVE YOU:) As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. Enjoy!

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**Faith of an Angel**

Chapter III

By Phoenix DeFuego

Selphie Tilmitt inhaled the salty air as she stepped off of the SeeD vessel and onto the busy dock of Balamb Port. Clear water gently lapped at the sides of the crowded docks and gulls noisily squawked at each other as they circled the bustling port overhead. Bronzed fisherman hefted crates of fish from small fishing boats onto the hectic docks as even more fisherman hauled the heavy crates to trucks headed for market. Balamb Port buzzed with activity and the hum of a hustling crowd filled the warm air.

Even though a single week helping out at Trabia Garden seemed too short, Selphie realized that it still felt good to be home again. Selphie's spine popped and cracked as she arched her back with her arms stretched high above her head. It was a bummer that she had to ride in the cramped SeeD ships instead of just flying the Ragnarok, but the Estharians claimed that they needed to retrieve important data from the old ship and make sure that everything was in working order. Selphie thought that was a load of bologna; after all, Squall found the ship so by rights it should belong to her!

The red dragon ship was soon forgotten, however, when she heard someone shout out her name and spotted a familiar cowboy hat in the crowd. Selphie raced past half-naked sailors and leaped into Irvine's arms.

"Irvy!" Selphie squealed excitedly.

Irvine spun the short brunette in the air while saying, "Hiya Sefie!" Selphie giggled hysterically and Irvine gently set her on the ground again before asking, "Did you enjoy your trip?" Selphie grinned and nodded her head enthusiastically, her curly brown hair bobbing up and down. Irvine wrapped his arms around her slender waist and said in a deep voice, "Did you miss me?"

"Lots!" Selphie beamed.

Irvine planted a chaste kiss on her cherry lips and replied, "Good." Wrapping his left arm around her slender shoulders Irvine gave her a quick squeeze and said, "Come on, let's get something to eat."

"Okay!" Selphie agreed cheerfully. Irvine led Selphie through the thick crowd and up a large sloping ramp that wrapped itself around the only hotel in the small city. It was considerably quieter outside of the Balamb Port and Selphie smiled at the children who were laughing and playing in the streets. There were very few people walking about in this part of town, leaving only the distant cry of seagulls and the ever present sound of crashing waves to fill the salty air.

As Irvine and Selphie were walking down the cobblestone street Selphie spotted a quaint little bistro and excitedly pointed it out to Irvine. With a charming smile Irvine looped Selphie's arm through his own and led her to the little bistro. The young couple sat outside on the beautiful veranda and ate smoked fish and drank table wine while flirtatiously bantering with one another.

After finishing her meal Selphie pushed her plate away with a sigh and declared, "I'm stuffed!" Irvine grinned at the green eyed brunette around the rim of his glass as he sipped his wine. "Hey, Irvine?" Selphie asked after a short pause. Irvine set his glass down and arched a single brow at her questioningly. "How has Rinoa been? When I left she seemed to be a little upset," Selphie asked, a twinge of worry in her bubbly voice.

A wicked grin spread across his features and he replied, "Never better! I don't think I've ever seen Rinoa so happy before. Ever since you left she and Squall have been connected at the hip."

"Really!?" Selphie asked excitedly. "That's so romantic!"

Irvine chuckled and said, "If you ask me, I think Squall finally worked up the guts to get a piece of the action."

"Irvine!" Selphie giggled in a scolding tone. Irvine just wagged his eyebrows at her and gave her an impish grin. Selphie laughed and rolled her eyes at her perverted boyfriend. Men. Selphie and Irvine continued to chitchat for several moments before finally deciding to head home.

oOo

Rinoa's delicate brows knitted in confusion and she bit her lip as she poked her salad with her plastic fork. She knew she had asked this question before, but she still didn't understand.

"I just don't see how it's possible," Rinoa admitted guiltily. Squall sighed and set his fork down, the speared piece of meat untouched.

"Rinoa, we've been through this already," Squall replied almost impatiently.

"I know," Rinoa apologized. Her brown eyes desperately searched his eyes for answers as she asked, "But how is that possible? How can Dassia be Hyne? Isn't Odin Hyne?"

"Yes, Odin is Hyne," Squall answered patiently.

"But, Dassia is Hyne too?" Rinoa asked, her nose wrinkling in confusion. Squall resisted the urge to chuckle at the adorable look on her face and instead nodded his head in affirmation.

Rinoa opened her mouth to question him further, but Squall cut her off by saying, "Griever, Odin, and Dassia are all Hyne."

"But how is that possible?" Rinoa insisted. Squall just chuckled and shook his head.

"You'll understand in time," Squall grinned. Rinoa huffed and went back to poking her salad with a dissatisfied pout on her rosy lips. Squall was amazed at how incredibly tempting it was to kiss those full pouting lips and unconsciously licked his own pale lips. Squall mentally shook himself and told himself to get a grip before continuing his meal.

The large cafeteria of Balamb Garden was unusually quiet today, which didn't bother Squall in the least. The square tables that filled the large room were relatively empty and the warm sun shining through the large glass windows added to the quiet coziness of the lunch room. Squall attributed the lack of people to the fact that it was the weekend. It was common for the majority of the students to leave Garden for the weekends to see family and friends or to go shopping or who knows what else. Squall could care less about what the other students did with their free time.

Squall absently munched on his mystery meat, a.k.a. fried chicken, as he carefully watched Rinoa poke at her salad with a distant look in her dark eyes. She had hardly touched her food since they sat down and Squall was a little worried about her. Maybe introducing Rinoa to his religion wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Rinoa, are you okay?" Squall asked after she had poked the same piece of lettuce for the fifth time.

"Hm? Oh, I'm fine," Rinoa replied casually. Squall gave her a doubtful look and she put her fork down with a heavy sigh. "It's just that… Oh, never mind." Squall was about to ask her what she was going to say when suddenly an ear-piercing squeal shattered the quiet atmosphere.

"RINNY!!!"

Rinoa's eyes immediately brightened and a huge smile crossed her face as she stood up with her arms flung wide. Selphie crashed into Rinoa's arms and nearly squeezed the life out of the poor sorceress as she gave Rinoa a tight hug. The two girls giggled hysterically as they babbled their hellos. Squall was mildly surprised when he realized that it upset him that Rinoa cheered up so quickly just because Selphie had shown up.

"How was your mission?" Rinoa asked once she had regained her breath.

"Great!" Selphie exclaimed distractedly. Selphie grabbed Rinoa's left hand and seemed a little disappointed when she didn't find what she was looking for.

"Selphie, what are you doing?" Rinoa giggled, confusion clearly written on her face. Apparently Selphie hadn't heard her question because as soon as she dropped Rinoa's hand Selphie started babbling about the repairs being made to Trabia Garden in an excited tone.

"Ha, ha, ha! What's the matter Squall?" laughed an annoyingly familiar voice. "You look like you've just been banned from the Training Center!" Squall graced Irvine with the coldest glare he could muster.

"Hi, Irvine!" Rinoa smiled as soon as the tall cowboy reached the small group. Suddenly Squall stood up and stalked out of the cafeteria.

"Let them have their stupid little reunion," Squall thought sourly. Squall stopped in his tracks at the bitter thought. Why was he so upset? He knew that Selphie and Rinoa were best friends. Besides, Rinoa was just being polite to Irvine, right? Squall shook his head and continued to stride down the curved hallway. Of course Rinoa was being polite to Irvine; he was her friend too. As Squall waited in front of the glass elevator he thought about turning around and going back to the cafeteria, but his pride would never allow it. Squall hated that part of himself.

"Squall?"

Squall nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard her soft voice gently call his name. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't even realized that Rinoa had followed him. Squall slowly turned around and guiltily looked into her dark, searching eyes. Without a word, Rinoa gave him an understanding smile and walked up the wide marble steps and gently wrapped her arms around his waist while resting her head on his chest. At first Squall blushed and his gray eyes darted from side to side to see if anyone was watching them, but he soon relaxed when he realized that nobody was even paying attention to them. Squall folded his arms around her and inhaled the intoxicating scent of her raven locks, the sweet smell of her dark hair soothing his nerves.

Suddenly a loud ping filled the air and the two teenagers pulled away from one another. Squall gave Rinoa an apologetic grin and she smiled. Just as Squall was about to step through the open glass doors he stopped and looked over his shoulder as Rinoa called after him.

"Don't work too hard!"

Squall smirked and gave her a curt nod as the glass doors slid shut behind him. Rinoa watched the lift whiz up the glass shaft with a smile on her face before doing a little twirl and hopping down the stairs. She was so happy that she felt as light as a feather and that her heart had wings as she strolled down the empty hallway. Rinoa was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice she was literally walking on air till she was nearly three feet in the air.

Rinoa giggled at her absentmindedness and waved her hand through the air to dispel the float spell; however, when nothing happened her brows creased in worry. Waving her hand through the air again Rinoa panicked as she continued to rise off of the ground. Rinoa's terrified eyes filled with tears as she helplessly floated higher and higher, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Suddenly there was a small ping and Squall bolted through the elevator doors, running at full speed until he stood beneath her.

"Squall, help!" Rinoa cried, terror filling her quavering voice. Rinoa was now almost ten feet off of the ground and still rising. An overwhelming sense of dread filled her entire being as she saw the fear and uncertainty in Squall's silver eyes.

With a look a sheer determination Squall flung his hand in the air with his palm facing the heavens and shouted, "Seal thy powers and descend!" Rinoa screamed at the top of her lungs as she plummeted to the ground. Squall grunted as Rinoa landed in his outstretched arms and he gently set her on the ground, hugging the sobbing sorceress close to his body. "It's okay, I've got you, you're alright," Squall gently cooed while stroking her hair. Rinoa buried her face into Squall's chest and sobbed while clinging to Squall with all of her strength, terrified that she might float away again.

For once in his life Squall didn't give a damn what people thought as students and SeeDs alike filled the hallways, curious about what had caused such a terrified scream to ring through the cavernous halls. Squall stood in the now crowded hallway holding Rinoa close as her sobs slowly gave way to silent tears. The low murmurs and questioning whispers made Squall feel curiously defensive. With his arms protectively wrapped around her, Squall began leading Rinoa to the infirmary while harshly glaring at the people nearby, daring them to say something mean about Rinoa.

The crowd wilted beneath Squall's scathing glare and parted as the two teenagers slowly made their way towards the infirmary, the murmurs dieing around them. Those who were unfortunate enough to make eye contact with Squall suddenly realized they had somewhere else they should be and the crowd slowly began to disperse. Blissfully empty, Squall and Rinoa silently walked down the purple hall, Squall's arms still protectively wrapped around her. The warm sunshine and gay chirping of song birds was a sharp contrast to Rinoa's current mood.

As soon as the young couple stepped through the doorway Dr. Kadowaki jumped to her feet and said, "What's wrong? Is she hurt?" Squall gave the concerned doctor a meaningful look and shook his head. With a look of understanding Dr. Kadowaki went into a back room as Squall led the sniffling sorceress to an empty bed. They sat down on the edge of the bed and Rinoa pressed her tearstained cheek into the soft fur of Squall's jacket as she rested her head on his shoulder. Unsure of what to say, Squall silently rubbed Rinoa's arm and gently rested his chin on top of her head.

Squall's stomach flipped and his nerves tingled as he continued to hold Rinoa. He never had to comfort someone like this before. Was he supposed to rock her? Maybe he was supposed to say something… What should he say? Squall's nervousness increased ten fold as fresh tears sprang into Rinoa's eyes and her shoulders began to shake. Just then Dr. Kadowaki emerged from the back room cradling a white ceramic teacup with steam rolling off the top.

"Here you go dear," Dr. Kadowaki said while handing Rinoa the steaming cup. Rinoa sat up straight and Squall let his arms fall to his side as Rinoa graciously accepted the cup of hot tea.

"Thank you," Rinoa replied softly, her voice thick with tears. Dr. Kadowaki's only response was a warm smile and she winked at Squall as she left the tiny room, drawing the plastic curtain to give them some privacy. Squall anxiously watched as Rinoa's eyes slowly closed while inhaling the soothing spices from the warm steam. His eyes were drawn to her mouth as she gently blew on the hot tea, mesmerized by her plump lips. Why Dassia had blessed him with an angel was beyond him. Rinoa tentatively sipped the warm liquid and reveled in the feeling of the hot tea gliding down her throat before taking another deep breath.

"Should I leave?" Squall asked, a hint of uncertainty creeping into the edges of his voice.

"Stay?" Rinoa pleaded as her hand suddenly gripped Squall's thigh. Squall swallowed the sudden lump in his throat as he glanced at the slender fingers clamped onto his leg. Rinoa jerked her hand back as if she had been burnt and her face turned scarlet.

"Okay," Squall replied softly. Unable to look each other in the eyes, the two teenagers silently sat in the awkward silence for several moments, neither one knowing what to do next.

"Thank you for saving me," Rinoa suddenly blurted.

Squall shifted and replied awkwardly, "You're welcome." Rinoa sipped her tea as another awkward silence filled the tiny space. "Honestly, I didn't think it would work," Squall said suddenly. "I just said the first thing I could think of that sounded anti spell-ish." Rinoa nearly choked as she burst into a fit of giggles.

"Anti spell-ish?" Rinoa laughed.

Squall rolled his eyes and huffed, "Whatever." Squall frowned and looked away as Rinoa continued to giggle at his choice of words. Regaining her composure, Rinoa gently laid her hand on his shoulder, a warm smile curving her lips.

When Squall finally gave in to her touch and looked at her she said earnestly, "Thank you." A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he gave her a confident nod.

Suddenly the plastic curtain was flung open and Quistis said, "Rinoa, are you alright!?" Before either of them could respond Selphie shoved Quistis out of the way and shouted, "Rinny are you ok? I brought chocolate!" Squall sighed and Rinoa laughed as the two girls continued to shove each other out of the way and Zell crammed himself into the tiny space.

"You ok Rinoa? I came as soon as I heard!" Zell asked frantically.

"Howdy Rinoa, how you holding up in there?" drawled a familiar voice from a dark cowboy hat behind the crowd.

"Out! Get out all of you, shoo!" screeched a furious Dr. Kadowaki. Rinoa was on the verge of tears and her sides began to hurt as Dr. Kadowaki herded the four teenagers out of her infirmary. The young sorceress was laughing so hard that Squall snatched the wobbling teacup from her so she wouldn't spill hot tea all over herself. At first Squall had been irritated at being interrupted, but the feeling didn't last long as he listened to Rinoa's melodious laughter.

As her laughter died down Squall grinned and asked, "Feeling better?" Rinoa smiled and enthusiastically nodded her head.

"Much."

"Good," Squall replied. "Let's get out of here." Rinoa nodded again and the two teenagers left the infirmary arm in arm, the hot tea left forgotten on the bedside table.


End file.
